A special budget meeting of the council has confirmed that the council tax element of bills will rise 1.99%.

But when a 2% increase in the adult care social levy is added, it brings the overall hike to 3.99%.

It means the non-parish Band D property charge will be £1,746.21 - up £60.51 on last year. However most of the properties in the borough are in Band A-C. Those new totals for non-parish areas are: Band A, £1,164.15; Band B, £1,358.15; Band C, £1,552.18.

Some parts of the borough where parish precepts are added will have higher bills.

The hike was agreed in a meeting at the Redcar and Cleveland Leisure and Community Heart on Thursday.

EU flag flying at Redcar and Cleveland Council offices

Presenting the budget, which will also see £25.6m worth of cuts, the council’s Cabinet member for resources, Councillor Christopher Massey, said: “This has been a difficult decision to make but our hands are tied by central government.

“We will do everything possible to ensure the vulnerable are protected in this borough.”

Council leader, Labour’s Sue Jeffrey , said national government had left the borough with “nothing less than another funding crisis.”

She said: “The cuts disproportionately fall on authorities like us in the north. We have to pick up the bill for authorities in the south to be able to maintain their level of service.”

Read More

Lib Dem councillor Josh Mason said local ratepayers were being “held to ransom” in making up a shortfall in national funding. He added: “This budget is not fair and no, it won’t be popular, but sadly our hands are tied.”

There was some opposition to the budget, with East Cleveland independent councillor Steve Kay calling the new bills “unaffordable” and the budget “mean.”

Cllr Mary Lanigan (Image: Ian McIntyre)

Cllr Mary Lanigan also feared East Cleveland would miss out, saying: “It’s all right saying you are borrowing extra money but you have to be proportionate across the borough.”

But Cllr Bob Norton observed: “What you don’t hear from the opposition are constructive plans of what we should do instead.”

And in the vote, 40 councillors voted “for” the budget, with just five against and five abstentions.

The decision came the day after Stockton Council voted to increase bills by 4.99% - a 1.99% council tax increase and 3% adult social care rise.

Like Redcar and Cleveland, Middlesbrough Council is proposing a 1.99 council tax rise and 2% adult social care levy.